The invention relates to a device for discharging a condensate for a housing of a motor vehicle that is sealed off from the environment, wherein this housing is provided for accommodating a technical component, in particular a power storage module (such as battery cells or capacitors). Furthermore, the invention relates to a housing for a power storage module as well as to a motor vehicle comprising a device for supplying the power.
Housings, which are provided for accommodating a technical component, such as a power storage module for a vehicle, have to fulfill a number of requirements, in order to meet the changing operating conditions of a vehicle. Such a housing serves the purpose of protecting the power storage module against environmental influences, such as water and dirt. Typically, the heat that is generated when the power storage module is operating is dissipated from the interior of the housing by means of a cooler, or more specifically, a coolant evaporator. Therefore, the moisture, which penetrates into the interior of the housing due to the air exchange, can condense in the interior of the housing because of the refrigerant cooling. This condensate typically collects on the floor of the housing, from which it has to be drained. At the same time it has to be ensured that the transversal and longitudinal vehicle acceleration that takes place when the vehicle is running does not prevent a reliable discharge of the condensate. Furthermore, the approach for discharging the condensate must also take into consideration that the condensate discharge does not allow impurities and water to penetrate into the housing, a state that would impair the function of the power storage modules.
The use of float valves are known from the prior art in order to achieve a condensate discharge. These valves hold open an outlet cross section on the floor of the power storage in order to allow the condensate to drain continuously. The float valve closes the cross section, when the water tries to penetrate into the interior of the housing from the bottom. However, such a float valve for discharging the condensate on the floor area of the housing is sensitive to fouling, so that, on the one hand, the condensate discharge can be degraded, and, on the other hand, the penetration of water into the housing can be facilitated. The latter can become a problem, in particular under so-called fording conditions, because a dirty float valve can no longer reliably close the opening of the valve. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to propose a solution that can provide for the condensate to be discharged in a more reliable way from a housing of a motor vehicle that is sealed off from the environment. An additional object of the present invention is to provide a housing that makes it possible to implement the condensate discharge with a design that is simple and cost effective. Another object of the present invention consists of providing a motor vehicle exhibiting an improved condensate discharge.
These objects are achieved with a device for discharging a condensate in the form of a condensate trap for a housing of a motor vehicle that is sealed off from the environment, wherein the housing is provided for accommodating a technical component, in particular a power storage module. The device according to the invention has a reservoir for accommodating the condensate formed in or on the floor of the housing, and this reservoir forms the lowest point of the floor in a predefined installation situation of the housing. In this context the reservoir is separated from the interior of the housing by a cover, which is provided with at least one breakthrough as an inlet for the condensate accumulating in the interior, and wherein an outlet opening of the reservoir is coupled to an actively actuable element for discharging a condensate.
The inventive condensate discharge by use of a condensate trap allows an implementation with small dimensions. In particular, it is possible to realize housings with a low profile and large installation area. The cover of the reservoir ensures that even transversal and/or longitudinal vehicle acceleration will not cause the condensate, contained in the reservoir of the condensate trap, to run back into the interior of the housing. The actively actuable element for discharging a condensate ensures that the reservoir is closed, except for those periods of time, when the element is actively actuated. Thus, the penetration of water into the interior of the housing, for example, in the course of cleaning a vehicle with a high pressure cleaner, through the outlet opening of the reservoir is ruled out. In addition and beyond this feature, damage to the condensate discharge system, for example, by way of a high pressure cleaner, is virtually ruled out. The actively actuable element makes it possible to control the discharge of the condensate, as required. For example, the condensate is discharged, only if such a discharge is necessary, for example, because a certain amount of condensate has collected in the interior of the reservoir. As a result, this feature also offers a number of diagnostic possibilities.
A practical embodiment provides that the reservoir extends over the entire width of the floor. Thus, it is guaranteed that any condensate falling on the floor of the housing will flow sooner or later into the reservoir.
In particular, it is provided that in the predefined installation situation of the housing in a vehicle, the direction of extension of the reservoir extends transversely to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle. As a result, the longitudinal dynamics of the vehicle can be used to force the condensate, accumulating on the floor of the interior of the housing, in the direction of the reservoir.
A practical embodiment provides that in the predefined installation situation of the housing the reservoir is arranged in relation to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle in the rear third, in particular on the rear end. This feature allows, in particular, the acceleration phases of a vehicle to be utilized to drive the condensate in the direction of the reservoir. In principle, the reservoir could also be arranged in the front third, in particular, on the front end, of the floor of the housing, in order to achieve a “transport” of the condensate in the direction of the reservoir in the braking phases. However, tests have demonstrated that the former variant is the preferred option.
The reservoir is especially easy to manufacture in or on the floor of the housing, when the reservoir is formed by an embossing of the floor. The only requirement for manufacturing the reservoir is a modified embossing die. Thus, the costs incurred to provide the condensate trap are minimal, compared to the costs for a conventional housing.
As an alternative, the reservoir is formed by the position of the floor relative to an area that lies in the horizontal plane. According to this embodiment, the reservoir is provided just by means of the relative arrangement of the housing in the vehicle.
According to an additional practical embodiment, the at least one breakthrough has a collar, so that the opening cross section of the breakthrough that faces the interior of the housing is larger than the opening cross section of the breakthrough that faces the reservoir. The result of this arrangement is that the condensate, which may be found in the reservoir, can be easily prevented from flowing back into the interior of the housing, or this backflow can at least be minimized.
An additional practical embodiment provides that the actively actuable element closes the outlet opening of the reservoir, when the actively actuable element is not activated. This feature makes it possible to arrange the outlet opening of the reservoir below a fording line of a motor vehicle, because even under fording conditions the water is prevented from penetrating into the interior of the housing.
In another advantageous variant the actively actuable element is activated at predefined time intervals for discharging the condensate in the reservoir. As a result, it is possible to control the discharge of the condensate, as required. The activation of the actively actuable element can take place, for example, once a day, once a week or once a month. In general, the activation can take place as a function of the necessity to discharge the condensate, and this necessity can also be determined by use of sensor technology.
In a first variant, the actively actuable element is a pump with an inlet that is connected to the outlet opening of the reservoir. An outlet of the pump is located preferably above a predefined fording line in the predefined installation situation of the housing and the pump. This feature can prevent the water from flowing back through the pump in the direction of the interior of the housing without any additional design measures. An especially simple and cost effective implementation of the actively actuable element as a pump can be achieved, when the pump is a windshield wiper water pump. This windshield wiper water pump can be provided as a standardized component in a variety of sizes and designs.
In a second variant, the actively actuable element is a valve, which upon activation opens the outlet opening, which is arranged at the bottom in the reservoir in the direction of gravity, and, upon deactivation, closes the outlet opening. In particular, the second variant provides that the valve can be operated magnetically. In order to be able to solve the problem of sealing off the interior of the housing against the environment, it is preferred that a valve tappet of the valve rests against a seal, surrounding the outlet opening, when the valve is deactivated.
It is self-evident that in the two variants of the actively actuable element the outlet opening is arranged at the lowest point of the reservoir in the respectively predefined installation situation, in order to be able to carry out the condensate discharge in the event that the element is actuated.
Furthermore, the invention provides a housing for one or more power storage modules, in particular, for a motor vehicle, and this housing is distinguished by a condensate trap of the type described above. The housing is, for example, a power storage module housing for motor vehicles, which have a hybrid drive or an electric drive. The housing according to the invention has the same advantages as the housings described in connection with the pressure compensation element according to the invention.
Furthermore, the invention provides a motor vehicle with a device for supplying power. In this context a housing of the device for supplying the power has a condensate trap of the type described above. The motor vehicle is, in particular, a motor vehicle that is provided with an electric drive or a hybrid drive.
The invention is explained in detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment in the drawings.